Sādhu (from Sanskritsādhu, "good, virtuous, pious") orSathu (Thai:สาธุ) is aPāli word ofSanskrit origin which is used as a formula of approbation in both religious and secular contexts inSoutheast Asia. It is a kind of Buddhist version of the 'amen' inAbrahamic religions,[1] or theSvāhā inYajna, which also served as a form of salutation.[2] Though it is an "untranslatable phrase",[3] it can be variously translated as "amen",[4] "good", "yes"[5] "thank you",[6] "I have received",[7] "well done",[8] "be it so"[9] or "all shall be well".[10]
The Pali word 'sādhu' is derived from theSanskrit root 'sādh' which means 'to accomplish', 'to succeed', or 'to be efficient'.[11][12] By adding the suffix '-u', it creates the adjective meaning 'accomplished' or 'efficient.'[13] The meaning describes someone who has succeeded in their spiritual or moral endeavors.[14] In classical Sanskrit, its related noun, sādhu refers to a virtuous or holy person who has renounced worldly life to attain a spiritual goal.[15] This term is closely related with the renunciation ideals central to Indian religious traditions such asHinduism,Buddhism, andJainism.[16]
Sometimes it is repeated a fourth time in a longer and emphatic tone. The reason Buddhists utter the fourth “Sādhu” in such a long manner may be honorific with respect to those who are most disciplined according to theNoble Eightfold Path.[18]
Sādhu is most often heard as a concluding word in a religious setting. It can be used by all Buddhists, such as monks, nuns, and lay practitioners.[19] It is said after receiving offerings, sermons (Dhamma talk), as well as in a profane context. The preacher usually ends his sermon by wishing for the attainment ofNirvana which is then followed by a concluding inunison of "sādhu, sādhu, sādhu". Buddhists say “sādhu sādhu sādhu” three times to answer a religious question or express their religious feelings if they find that the request is satisfactory.
When a Burmese monk U Tiloka admonished the villagers to refuse to pay land revenue and capitation taxes in order to obtain home rule against theBritish Empire, he usually concluded his speeches by asking all who accepted his preaching to saysādhu three times.[20]
In some Buddhist traditions likeVessantara Festival, the wordsādhu is sometimes followed by the sound ofconch[21] or to the sound of agong to mark the end of each chapter of the recited Pāli stanzas.[22]
Satho is a cry for joy in ancient Vedic stories and it is still used in Hindu culture as a general shout of approval in battle.[24] In the Thai version of a legend of theBhagavad Gita translated byEliakim Littell, the wordssathu, sathu, are put in the mouth of the King:[25]
The King will cry: "Sathu, sathu! It is good, it is good!"
This word was used by the Buddha when devotees asked him about deep or hard issues.Sādhu is therefore occasionally used in theTipiṭaka as an exclamation. In theVinaya Piṭaka, to show his appreciation of somethingSāriputta had said, the Buddha responded:
Sādhu is also used as the opener in prayers to an image of the Buddha.[26] It is also widely used for non-Buddhist uses. For example, the wordsādhu is used by soldiers offering obedience[27] to kings,[28] or by believers praying to deities such as Burmesenats[29] anddevatas as the opener:
Sathu, sathu, we are so poor and suffering. May the great devata bestow a great blessing on us. May we be granted a child of our own.
Saathukaan (Thai:สาธุการ[31]) is the traditional melody used byThai musicians for eulogy and oblation in honour of theTriple Gem, while as specialSaathukaan played only by drums is aninvitatory for great teachers.[32]Thai pop singer Boom Boom Cash produced a song entitledSathu (Thai:สาธุ) in May 2018.contemporary worship music in Thailand also translates the Christian blessing assathu, as in the translation ofBlessed be your Name (Thai:เพลง สาธุการพระนาม).[33]
^"Traditional festivals of Cambodia".Traditional Festivals of ASEAN. ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information. 2003. p. 42.
^U, Khin Zaw (2006).Myanmar Culture. Today Publishing House. p. 38.
^Nākhō̜nthap, Thapanī; Chāt, Thailand Samnakngān Khana Kammakān Watthanatham hǣng (1992).Essays on Cultural Thailand. Office of the National Culture Commission, Ministry of Education, Thailand. p. 128.ISBN978-974-7903-25-6.
^Monier-Williams, Monier; Leumann, Ernst; Capeller, Carl (1994).Sanskrit-English dictionary: etymologically and philologically arranged with special reference to cognate Indo-European languages (New ed., greatly enl. and improved ed.). New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 1126.ISBN978-81-215-0200-9.
^Edgerton, Franklin (1970).Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit grammar and dictionary. William Dwight Whitney linguistic series. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 542.ISBN978-81-208-0997-0.
^Apte, Vaman Shivaram (1989).The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary: containing appendices on Sanskrit prosody and important literary and geographical names of ancient India (4., rev. & enlarged ed., repr ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.ISBN978-81-208-0567-5.
^Gonda, Jan (2024).Vedic literature: Saṃhitās and Brāhmaṇas. A history of Indian literature / Series editor Jan Gonda Vol. 1, Veda and Upanishads (Reprint 2020 ed.). New Delhi: Manohar.ISBN978-93-88540-34-6.
^Harvey, Peter (2013).An introduction to Buddhism: teachings, history and practices (2nd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 93.ISBN978-0-521-85942-4.
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